Barbecued Curried Whole Cauliflower

Written by:

Prep time:

30 min

Cook time:

1 hour 5 min

Total time:

1 hour 35 min

Portion/Yield:

Serves 4 as a side dish or accompaniment

Difficulty:

Easy

I’m having a great time this summer, taking every possible opportunity to cook our meals on the barbecue. We have been lucky enough to have some very good weather so far, with just the occasional rainy spells and a couple of very windy days.

Mr P and I both love vegetables and cooking them whole on the barbecue is a fantastic way to enjoy them. This barbecued curried whole cauliflower is simply delicious, and once it’s cooked, the cauliflower has a soft and creamy texture but is still just holding its shape. We slice it into wedges like a cake and serve it alongside Slow-barbecued Lamb Shoulder or barbecued spatchcocked chicken.

It’s an easy recipe too and doesn’t require much preparation, allowing you more time to chat and mingle with your guests.

First make the spice mix. Heat a small, non-stick frying pan over a high heat until hot, then add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and curry leaves and cook for a couple minutes or so until lightly toasted and the cardamom pods have opened, stirring continuously to prevent the spices from burning. Remove from the heat, transfer the toasted spices to a mortar, add the salt, pepper, curry powder, turmeric and sugar and pound together using a pestle to form a fine spice mix.

Place a large piece of foil on the work surface, then place the onion slices and garlic in the centre of the foil. Rub the oil and spice mix all over the cauliflower, then place the cauliflower, round side up and flat side down, on top of the onions and garlic. Bring the sides of the foil up and then spoon in the wine. Close and seal the foil so the cauliflower is enclosed completely.

Place the cauliflower parcel over a mild/low barbecue (if your barbecue has a lid, cover it at this stage) and cook for 30 minutes. Open the foil to reveal the cauliflower head, then continue cooking over the barbecue for a further 30 minutes (with the barbecue lid closed again) or until the cauliflower is cooked and tender but is still holding its shape. Remove from the heat.

Slice the cauliflower into wedges and serve (along with the onion slices) as an accompaniment with Slow-barbecued Lamb Shoulder, barbecued spatchcocked chicken or pork or beef steaks.

Cook’s Note

To cook the cauliflower in the oven (instead of barbecuing it), preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3. Prepare the cauliflower as above, then place the cauliflower parcel on a baking tray and cook it in the oven for 45 minutes. Open the foil and continue to cook it, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes or until tender.